Summary Description
- Reduces incidental bycatch of marine animals by prohibiting their killing and by prohibiting the sale of seafood from jurisdictions that do not have equivalent protection rules.
- TopicThe topic of the legislation or policy covered by the text
- Climate & environmental protectionWild-caught fishing
- SpeciesThe animal, or type of food production, covered by the text
- Fish
- JurisdictionCountry or geographical area where the text applies
- USA
- Sub-jurisdictionCountry or state where the text applies
- N/A
- Type of ActWhether the act is a law, regulation, or policy, or another type of text
- Legislation
- StatusIndicates whether the act is in force or not
- In force
- Legal ValueWhether the text is binding or not
- Binding
- Date enactedDate the text was adopted
- 1972
- Date updatedDate when the entry was last updated by the CALF team
- June, 2023
- Official citation
- 16 U.S.C. 1361-1407 (USA)
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths
- Prohibits the �take� of marine mammals (e.g., harassment, hunting, capturing, collecting, or killing). The act also makes it illegal to import or export marine mammals and marine mammal products into or out of the United States without a permit or other applicable authorization.
- Under a regulation implementing the Act, the United States will not import seafood from countries that lack similar restrictions of their own on bycatch.
- Weaknesses
- Permits can be issued to allow for the �take� of marine mammals. Some examples of situations when permits are given include allowance for scientific research, photography, capture or first-time imports for public display (e.g., in aquariums), incidental take as a side effect of fishing or enhancing the survival or health of an animal (e.g., stranding rescues).